Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the removal of all military checkpoints set up in the wake of Boko Haram activities across the country, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Aliyu Ismaila said on Monday.
Ismaila disclosed this to the State House correspondents after a meeting Buhari had with service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Ismaila said the meeting had further encouraged the security chiefs to do more in the war against insurgency because of the leadership being provided by the President who is a retired military officer.
This order, though good intentioned, might have far-reaching significance to the populace who find succor in the presence of the military personal around their vicinity. First, it might be easier for thr Boko Haram militants to to reach deeper into the heart of the country to spread death and terror.
Besides, the military checkpoints across the country have helped in check other criminal activities such as kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism.
“I hope this people took proper evaluation of the security conditions in the country before arriving at this measure. I hope, and I only hope they are not opening us up to greater security threats,” said Casmir Eze, who is based in Aba.
For some months in 2012, many inhabitants of Abia State had to flee their homes as kidnappers literaly overrun them. Eze believes that the decision to pull out the military from check points at this time is premature.
